1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to games for children, and more particularly to toy puzzles that are amusing and of an educational value. Each toy puzzle is two-sided; that is, has a puzzle of each side thereof having puzzle members arranged such that matching or assembling the puzzle members on one side automatically unmatches or disassembles the puzzle members on the opposite side.
2. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 524,703 relates to a two-sided combination game or puzzle comprising a board having a plurality of short, parallel slots joined together at one end by a common slot. Each short slot slidably receives a white or black checker. The number of short slots exceeds the number of checkers to permit rearranging the checkers. The object of the game is to manipulate the checkers to arrange the checkers in a predetermined orientation; for example, with all white checkers together in a row and all of the black checkers adjacent thereto in a row. The puzzle is the same on each side to facilitate playing the puzzle from either side.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,975,667 discloses a one-sided puzzle in which captive blocks are slidably arranged in slots in a box or frame. The face of each block represents a portion of an overall picture or representation. The purpose of the puzzle is to arrange the blocks in their proper order to complete the picture or representation.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,948,535 relates to a two-sided puzzle having a board provided with a plurality of mazes. Each maze has a plurality of connecting slots extending through the board. A plurality of puzzle blocks on one side of the puzzle each have on their face a portion of an overall picture or representation. Each puzzle block is connected by a post slidable within a slot to a similar oriented block on the opposite side of the board. The faces of the blocks on the opposite side each represent a portion of an overall picture or representation completely different from the picture on the one side. The result is a toy game having a different puzzle on opposite sides thereof in which the puzzle blocks are captive on the board. Solving the puzzle on one side by properly arranging the blocks to form a picture automatically solves the puzzle by forming a picture on the opposite side.
A primary problem with the aforementioned prior art puzzles is the need to unmatch or disassemble the puzzle members of each puzzle after it has been assembled or solved in order to place it in condition to be replayed or reassembled. None of such puzzles are capable of providing continuous problem solving situations in which solving a puzzle on one side automatically places the puzzle on the opposite side in an unsolved condition.